DB - Resources

RESOURCES

Tips for a smooth remodeling project:

• Hire a Pro - The most important step is finding someone to handle your remodel, is making sure you hire a licensed, bonded, professional remodeling contractor for your job. Check out the Oregon State Construction Contractors Board website http://www.ccb.state.or.us/ for more information.
• Trust Your Gut - Hire a contractor who you get along with personally - you could be seeing them almost daily for months. Make sure it's someone you want to invite into your home.
• Design Savvy - In order to create a design you'll love to live in, spend time thinking about how the space will be used, not just how it will look.
• Plan Ahead - Save money (and time!) by planning ahead. You can define your budget (and prevent costly change orders later on) if you go through the design process first and choose everything you want included in the new space. It's also wise to save 10-20 percent of your budget to allow for items and labor added to the scope of work.
• Scrimp or Splurge? Make decisions based on value and quality, not just price. Talk to your contractor about which items to skimp on and which ones deserve the highest quality your budget will allow.
• One Big Project? Think about whether you'd prefer to do your entire project at once or to do your work in phases. Staging the job lessens the immediate financial impact. It is often easier to create manageable timelines and budgets by breaking up a large project into a few smaller jobs. The downside of staging a remodel is that you may end up spending more time and money in the long run.
• Get it in Writing - It's very important to sign a contract with your contractor that spells out the scope of the work, finishes to be used (if pre-selected), timeline for the project, a process for dealing with change orders, etc.
• Be Flexible - Unexpected things can, and probably will, come up during a big remodel, especially on an older home. Anticipating a few hiccups or delays can prevent a lot of aggravation later.